Analog-to-digital converters have a certain offset error. Offset error is the difference between the measured and ideal voltage at the analog input that produces the midscale code at the outputs. There are known techniques to minimize the offset error, such as symmetrical design and layout, and automatic offset error compensation techniques. Even when using such methods, there is some offset error in the design. Typically, a well-designed differential analog to digital converter implemented in CMOS may have a temperature-dependent offset error of about 100 μV. In certain applications, the analog to digital converter results are accumulated over time. In this case, the amount of offset error will accumulate, causing a significant error in the result, particularly if the input levels to the analog digital converter are very low for long periods.
Existing methods for automatic offset error cancellation compensate for the offset error in every sample, for example, by first accumulating the offset error in a sampling capacitor and then sampling the signal level each result in such a way that the offset error is subtracted. However it is known that this method of offset error cancellation can be inaccurate when the analog to digital converter is utilized over a long period of time because the offset error can accumulate. This is typically the case for fuel gauging in battery systems. What is needed is a more effective method for reducing offset error in analog to digital converters. The system should be cost effective, easily implemented and adaptable to exiting systems.
The present invention addresses such a need.